Born on February 25, 1992, Sanya Malhotra was born and raised in Delhi. The Dangal actress studied at Ryan International School, Mayur Vihar, Delhi, and graduated from Gargi College of Delhi University. (All photos/Sanya Malhotra's official Instagram account)

In picture: Sanya Malhotra with her Dangal co-star Aamir Khan.

During her college days, Sanya had joined the 'Choreography Society' to learn and explore new dance forms and techniques. She realised that she had an interest in acting through dance.

To continue with her passion, Sanya Malhotra joined a ballet company as an instructor and to explore dance further, she later joined a school as a dance teacher. 

"I was paid Rs 15,000 and I gave my first salary to my parents," Sanya said recalling her initial days as a dancer.

Taking a step forward towards her dream, Sanya Malhotra auditioned for a dance reality show titled Dance India Dance in Mumbai and was shortlisted among the top 100, but, got rejected because her backstory wasn't strong enough for the show.

However, Sanya decided to stay back in Mumbai to appear for a few more auditions and try her hand at dancing and acting. She eventually ended up doing 10 ads a year!

Sanya Malhotra auditioned for a few months, during which she also worked as a yoga instructor for the women in her locality.

Pictured: Sanya Malhotra with her Dangal co-star Fatima Sana Shaikh

After appearing for several auditions and working in commercials, she got a call from casting director Mukesh Chhabra's office for a film which was for a second lead but the flick eventually got shelved.

A few months later, Sanya received another call from Mukesh's office, this time for the main role in Dangal.

Sanya had auditioned and appeared for the screen test but had forgotten about it until she was informed that Aamir Khan wanted to meet her.

Sanya, who was in Delhi, returned to Mumbai immediately but discovered that 30 other girls were shortlisted for the same character.

"We had to go through a few more sessions. Aamir sir came to meet us in his Mahavir Phogat avatar. The sessions went on for a month, by the end of which, we were all getting impatient to know who had bagged the part as we had been asked to not take up any other work," Sanya said.

Pictured: Sanya Malhotra with her Badhaai Ho co-star Ayushmann Khurrana

"Then, Fatima Sana Shaikh and I got a call from the production house informing us that she would be playing Geeta, Mahavir's elder daughter, while I had landed the part of the younger daughter, Babita Kumari. I will never forget that day. The rest, as they say, is history," Sanya Malhotra shared on how she finally got the role.

Sanya Malhotra has always been passionate about dancing. The 28-year-old actor keeps treating her fans with her dance videos time and again on social media. Well, do you know Sanya is a trained belly dancer too?

Interestingly, she also choreographed Aamir Khan in the movie Secret Superstar.

While she hasn't gotten the chance to show her stunning dance moves on the big screen yet, she has had a special connect with dance over the years.

After Dangal, Sanya Malhotra starred in Ayushmann Khurrana's Badhaai Ho and Vishal Bhardwaj's Pataakha. She also bagged a few commercials and brand endorsements and ever since the actress hasn't looked back.

After starring opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Photograph, Sanya Malhotra lent her voice for Hollywood actor Tessa Thompson for the Hindi version of Men In Black: International.

Her latest film, Shakuntala Devi, alongside Vidya Balan released yesterday, July 31, on Amazon Prime Video.

Sanya Malhotra plays Shakuntala Devi's daughter, Anupama Banerji, in the film directed by Anu Menon.

We wish Sanya Malhotra all the best for Shakuntala Devi!